Greater Rewards

"Ah, right," Da-Mi chirped, "If you don't mind, may I ask, how old are you? I'm 22, and the others are the same."

Zephyr, despite his usual reticence, answered indifferently, "25." He understood Da-Mi's attempt to connect, even if chatter wasn't his forte.

Those kids might seem like know-it-all oddballs now, but Zephyr knew they'd become invaluable allies in the future. After all, the Legions, with their high ranks in the Frontliners Association, were proven warriors. Maintaining a relationship with them aligned with his goals, especially since he had no intention of rejoining the Frontliners as he did in the past timeline.

Da-Mi had a cute smile on her face and said, "So, how can I address you? 'Big Brother Quinn' feels a bit formal, but 'Zephyr' might be too friendly?"

Zephyr sighed, a faint wisp escaping his lips. "Honestly, I prefer Mr. Quinn."

Da-Mi tilted her head, a playful yet firm glint in her eye. "But you're only 25! Mr. Quinn feels a bit... old-fashioned, wouldn't you agree? Besides," She leaned in with a conspiratorial smile, "Three years gap is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Let's be friends, hmm?"

Previously, she'd discussed this with the others - Jae-Jung, Yamato, Zexian, and Meng Fen. Anyone fluent in Apexian, they agreed, was worth cultivating as a close friend. And Zephyr, well, he was not only fluent but also a fellow Legion like them.

With a hint of amusement, Zephyr offered his hand for a shake. "Well, you can call me whatever you want."

Delighted, Da-Mi eagerly grasped his hand. Her smile faltered, however, as Zephyr abruptly turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" she called out, surprised. "Didn't you want to do a quest together? We could be much more efficient, and I'd happily share the rewards equally."

He paused, looking over his shoulder briefly. "Another time, perhaps. Let's just get to know each other better first." With that, he disappeared into the Legion Union.

Da-Mi nodded in acceptance. While she'd hoped Zephyr would fully join their group, his willingness to interact as friends was still progress.

Jae-Jung approached, brows furrowed. "Seems like a waste of Shards if he won't join. The others weren't too thrilled about the attitude, either."

Da-Mi remained calm. "Actually, this is a positive step for the future. Our deal established a connection with him, and breaking it could negatively impact our plans. Besides, recruiting him isn't urgent. We can't form our organization of Apex players until global communication opens."

Her gaze held a flicker of ambition. "Remember, my vision is grander: to make players symbols of hope in the Apex World. This can't be rushed, only built step by step."

Jae-Jung blinked, sheepishly acknowledging his worry. "You're right, Da-Mi. I shouldn't have been concerned. Your plan with Yamato will succeed regardless. One person won't derail it."

Da-Mi offered a knowing smile as Zephyr vanished into the Legion Union. Her allies - Jae-Jung, Yamato, Zexian, and Meng Fen - stood beside her, while a group of younger, Ex-communicator-less children watched from afar.

Inside the Legion Guild, Zephyr completed the registration for his quest. He'd only hunted 40 berserk animals, far from the 100 required, but he marked it complete anyway. He knew this would lower his reward to 80 Shards instead of the whole 200. But his actual prize lay elsewhere.

While the Shard reward was significant, the real treasure was the System's currency earned alongside it. Those things offered a much higher conversion rate when exchanged for Shards, making them far more valuable in the long run. He'd initially wanted to seek quests with higher immediate rewards. But after careful analysis, he realized none guaranteed Credits like the animal hunting quests.

Zephyr sighed. The animal hunting quest might seem ordinary. But for him, it held a particular advantage. His unique and mysterious "System" allowed him to convert the rewards. While the standard hunting quest was 200 Shards for 100 animals, the 5 Credits he'd earn were worth a staggering 2500 Shards.

Combined, that meant 2700 Shards in a single day – an amount far beyond the reach of even the most skilled Apex Online players at the beginning, no matter how good their game walkthrough was. By leveraging his unique System within this seemingly mundane quest, Zephyr had outsmarted them all.

Ten minutes after submitting his completion report, Zephyr diligently refreshed the quest board until the animal hunt reappeared. This time, casual effort wouldn't suffice. He aimed for maximum profit, a reward solely his, and he was prepared to push himself to the limit, even if it drained his energy.

He had his strategy mapped out. To optimize his efficiency, he focused on the area near the Fortress of the Divine Light. Straying too far would make things difficult if he met Sentinel again like before. But if necessary, he wasn't afraid to engage, especially if he didn't have anything to protect.

Zephyr strode back into the outer Hall Square, his destination clear: the familiar weapons shop. A tall, slender NPC named Guldo greeted him with a menu, his voice laced with practiced cheer.

"Welcome, sir! How may I assist you today?"

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[ Firearms Dealer 1 ]

1. Army Knife. Cost: 3 Shards.

2. Gun. Cost: 30 Shards.

3. Shotgun: Cost: 55 Shards.

4. SMG. Cost: 45 Shards.

5. Rifle. Cost: 65 Shards.

6. Sniper Rifle. Cost: 95 Shards.

7. Machine Gun. Cost: 175 Shards.

8. Basic Aether Bullet. Cost: 5 Shards.

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Guldo's enthusiasm slightly faltered as Zephyr skimmed the list of firearms. Army knife, gun, shotgun – the names were familiar, echoes of the weapons used in his old world. But here, the bullets held an alien hum powered by artificial energy. A pang of hesitation ran through him. Those weren't tools built to last; they were stepping stones, soon to be rendered obsolete by the Exo-skeleton.

"One gun and a pack of bullets," Zephyr said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. The cost was negligible, yet he felt a twinge of loss. This weapon wouldn't serve him forever. It was a temporary solution, a relic waiting to be discarded when the true power arrived.

Guldo's smile faltered further, betraying a hint of annoyance at Zephyr's choice of the cheapest items. "Alright, that'll be 150 Shards. One gun, 24 Basic Aether Bullets. Thank you, sir. Anything else I can help you with?"

Zephyr took the weapon and ammunition, his voice flat. "No, that's all. Thank you." He turned around and left, holding the gun in his left hand skillfully, like a veteran.

An hour crawled by outside the Fortress of the Divine Light, and Zephyr hadn't even spotted a whisker. Frustration gnawed at him. He veered off the beaten path, venturing into uncharted territory. His search wasn't in vain. Soon, guttural roars and screeching clashes split the air. Zephyr crouched low, eyes narrowing at the sight before him.

A chaotic battle raged: a lone elephant clashed with a hippopotamus, their colossal forms locked in a primal dance. Three tigers circled the outskirts, their stripes flashing like hungry lightning. And standing defiant amidst the chaos, a magnificent one-horned rhino snorted steam, its eyes glowing with feral aggression.

Zephyr didn't hesitate. With a gun gripped in his left hand and an army knife glinting in his right, he emerged from the shadows of the sun, stepping into the heart of the fray.

"Hey!" Zephyr roared, his voice swallowed by the chaos. The animals remained locked in their primal struggle, oblivious to his presence.

Crack!

His gun snapped forward, a gout of Aether erupting from the barrel. The elephant, caught in the crosshairs, crumpled to the ground with a thunderous thud. A wound the size of a human hand gaped on its head, a testament to the power of the modified pistol and its Aether-infused ammo.

But the power came at a cost. A searing pain lanced through Zephyr's wrist, the recoil nearly wrenching the weapon from his grasp. He gritted his teeth, adrenaline masking the agony. It wasn't a game. It was survival, and every shot counted.

The elephant's demise turned five sets of hungry eyes towards Zephyr. Three tigers, fur bristling and fangs bared, launched themselves at him in a blur of orange and black. The rhino, a horned juggernaut, charged with earth-shaking tremors. Even the hippo, lumbering but robust, thundered forward, its roar echoing a lion's.

Zephyr clicked his tongue, a cold calculation in his eyes. Two aether bullets streaked toward the rhino and the hippo, the immense threats, while he readied to welcome the agile tigers with his blade.